Why Do I Need to Know God?
Our desire for personal knowledge of God is
strong, but we usually fail to recognize the
desire for what it is. When we first fall in love,
when we first marry, when we finally break into
our chosen field, when we at last get that
weekend house—these breakthroughs arouse in
us an anticipation of something which, as it
turns out, never occurs. We eventually discover
that our desire for that precious something is a
longing that no lover or career or achievement,
even the best possible ones, can ever satisfy.
The satisfaction fades away even as we close
our fingers around our goal. Nothing ever
delivers the joy it seemed to promise. Many of us
avoid the yawning emptiness through busyness
or denial, but, at best, there is only a postponement.
"Nothing tastes," said Marie Antoinette.
There are several ways people respond to this:
1) To blame the things themselves—to find fault
with everyone and everything around them.
Some people believe that a better spouse, a better
career, a better boss or salary would finally yield
the elusive joy. Many of the world's most
successful people are like this: bored, discontented,
running from new thing to new thing,
often changing counselors, mates, partners,
settings.
2) To blame themselves—to try harder to live up
to self-imposed standards. Many people feel they
have made poor choices or failed to measure up
to challenges and to achieve the things that
would give them joy and satisfaction. Such
people are wracked with self-doubts and tend to
burn themselves out. They think, "If only I could
reach my goals, then this emptiness would be
gone." But it is not so.
3) To blame the universe itself—to give up
seeking fulfillment at all. These are the people
who says, "Yes, when young you are idealistic,
but at my age I have stopped howling after the
moon." They become cynical and decide to
repress that part of themselves that once wanted
fulfillment and joy. But they become hard, and
they can feel themselves losing their humanity,
compassion and joy.
4) To blame and recognize their separation from
God—to establish a personal relationship with
Him.
Adapted from Timothy Keller, 1991
